Ghost
by a Wiccan
Summary: My name is Katrin, nicknamed fox by my two best friends, Sunny and Sides, who I thought were human. Until I died and became a ghost. Now I've made it my mission to help them any way I can, and this is my story of how.
1. Chapter 1

My name is Katrin Rose Knox. Or at least, it was. You see, I'm dead. Or I should be. Right now I'm what you could call a spirit or something like that. I don't have a body any more, just a conscious that can see, hear, and move. But I can't be seen, heard, or touched. With the help of the Autobots I learned how to communicate directly into theirs and others minds. With training I learned how to communicate with several others at once.

This is probably a little confusing to you all so I'll start from the beginning. I'll tell you my story of how I died at the age of nineteen when me and my friends, who I later learned were not human, were attacked by what I learned were Decepticons.

"Hey! Twins!" I called out to my two best friends as I ran out of the bookstore I worked in. A few months ago I had met these two wandering around looking a little lost. I helped them out, a few days later they saved my sorry ass from some punks, and we have been best buds ever since then. Nearly every day they were here waiting for me to get out of work. Them and their fancy Lamborghinis. Both boys looked over at me grinning.

"Hey Fox" Ever since they had seen a picture of me dressed as a rather skanky fox for Halloween and then a picture of a real fox, they both had been calling me that. They said my hair was the exact shade of a fox tail; Sunny said it more often since he was the artist and had a keen eye for color. The fact that a while ago I had bleached the tips of hair didn't help my case either. When I put it up in a pony tail it was just like a fox tail. I kept meaning to get it cut but I keep forgetting.

I grinned at the boys as I walked over. Their names are Sunny and Sides. I thought that they were pretty weird names at first, but after a while I got used to it, and their odd lingo. Sunny was a secret artist and had a shock of bright yellow-blond hair; he owned the yellow car, while Sides had brilliant red hair and drove the red car. Both boys owned bright, dazzling blue eyes and were tall. Now most people are tall compare to my short stature of only 5'2, but these boys were close to 6'5.

They were fun, sweet, tough, cocky, arrogant, smart, protective, pranksters and were all mine. And they loved to drive fast. After I hugged them both I hopped into Sides car. We were going for a long speed drive. See, they both worked for the military and were going to be leaving in a few weeks for a while, so we wanted to spend some time together. They never tell me what they do, but they did tell me that they tracked down terrorists like the ones that attacked Mission city a few months back.

It always worried me that they were going to get hurt, a few times they had to leave for a few days and I didn't hear for them. But they always came back. Once they brought a comrade, Hide was his name. He was a massive man. He towered over the twins by a few inches and was packed with muscle. His deep pale blue eyes had stood out from his tan skin and black hair, a scar going over one eye from his eye bow to his cheek.

After he had left in his equally massive black truck, the twins told me that he had gotten the scar in a fight a long time ago. For the next few days I hardly let go of the twins, worried that something like that could happen to my seemingly indestructible boys.

But now here we were, laughing and doing well over ninety on a back road far from our city. The twins were racing around a makeshift track and I was whooping and hollering in delight, sitting in the passenger seat of Sides car.

"Get 'im Sides! He's gunna beat us!" I shouted as Sunny pulled ahead. Even after a few months of being with these guys I still retained some of my speech pattern of who I used to be before them.

But suddenly our fun came to an end. Less than fifty meters away the ground blew up. I barely choked out a scream as Sides pulled a u-turn and stopped, Sunny pulled right up beside him. At their beckoning I got out with them and stood between the two cars with the twins next to me.

"We don't have time to get her out of here Sunny, they'll get us before we get too far." I stared at Sides.

"Who's going to get us?" I was confused, but the look in the twins' faces made me feel very frightened.

Sunny looked at me with a sad, sad look. "We're so sorry Kat. We never wanted you to be drawn into this. We should of told you sooner before anything happened." I didn't understand anything that he was saying, but the next thing I knew, we were surrounded by six giant robots with red eyes. I was horror struck. What was going on?

"The terrorists we hunt are them. They are the Decepticons." Sides told me. My mind caught up to me then. I looked at them like they were crazy. "You fight giant freaken robots for a living. You guys are big, but not that big." They both gave me a sad smile. Something was wrong here wasn't it. They both wrapped me in a hug, whispering in my ears.

"Please forgive us" then suddenly they were gone. I just couldn't wrap my head around everything that was happening. I didn't understand it. One minute we were laughing and having fun, then giant evil robots surround us, and now my twins just vanished into thin air.

Things moved in slow motion all around me. My sole attention was on the cars. The cars that belonged to the twins, the cars that began to shift and reshape, reshape into giant robots. Nothing seemed real any more as the two formally car robots took defensive potions in front of me. Dimly I could hear them speaking. They were apologizing over and over and reassuring me that everything was going to be alright. The two new robots had the twins' voices. No. They were the twins, something deep inside my head thought.

Suddenly the world was a flurry of motion. Missiles were shot at us as the evil robots charged at us. The twins did their best to keep me out of harm's way, that much I knew and understood. They may have kept this a secret from me, but they still didn't want any harm to come to me.

However they were sadly out numbered. Sides had called for backup, but even I knew they wouldn't reach here in time. And there was no way they twins could keep me safe and fight them all. As if to prove my point, the world all around me seemed to explode. I was dimly aware of Sunny screaming my name along with Sides, but I felt nothing and couldn't register what happened.

Until I hit the ground. My entire body was broken and I couldn't move. I heard more screaming, it was distinctly female, and then it registered that it was me screaming. I began to hyperventilate and saw more cars speeding towards the fray. I could recognize Hides truck. So back up was finally here.

I should have been shocked to see the vehicles driving themselves but it barely registered. What did register was the fact that they transformed into giant robots and helped my twins, who soon came rushing to my side. As giant robots. Did I care? It hardly registered in my brain. It could only tel them apart because of their colors.

"Oh Primus Katrin" Sides breathed. I struggled to focus. He only ever called me that when he was either serious or if it was something bad.

"Kat, sweetspark, you need to focus, ok? Can do you do that for us?" Sunny choked out. I tried to open my mouth to form words but it wouldn't move. It frustrated me. Was it really that bad?

Trying again it came out choked and I tasted a wet, warm, metallic substance that filled my mouth and spilled out of it. Suddenly another face appeared before mine, another robot. I couldn't even move. The twins were begging him to do something and he tried. I know he really tried. The look in his eyes was so clear to me.

Yet I was so calm and content. My twins were here next to me. But hearing their grief filled cries made me frown. The giant doc bot shook his head. He backed away and then the human versions of my twins appeared next to me.

Gently they cradled me against their warm bodies, mine felling almost frozen. I knew what was happening. I was dying, I only had moments left. And the twins knew that too. My poor, sweet, twins. They kept begging me and apologizing over and over. It bothered me. Alot. They needed to stop.

"Oh s-shut up, fre-freaken cry b-babies." They both managed to crack a smile at that. But it was small, almost as small and weak as my voice now sounded. But I had to keep talking, I could already feel myself slipping away.

"T-take my b-bracelets." I stuttered out. I had two bracelets, both made of an orange ribbon that matched my hair down to the shade shifts and matching fox charms. Making sure they complied I sighed, not much longer.

Slowly I faded into a welcoming blackness. With my last breath I whispered to my twins, suddenly afraid.

"Don't leave me…"I trailed off as my heart and lungs stopped working. I was dead and gone, all alone in the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

When I woke up I was floating in the darkness. I knew I had died. Or at least I had thought I had died. Waking up here made me begin to doubt it though. Slowly I began to piece together everything that had happened.

"Where am I?" I asked out loud, knowing nobody would answer. Imagine my surprise when somebody did answer me.

"_You are in the afterlife before the Cross over, little one"_ an old voice spoke, answering my question. I wasn't quite sure how to describe it. It was old sounding but full of power. Just hearing it made me feel better even though I was, well, dead.

"So I am dead. Why haven't I crossed over?" I seriously did not want to be stuck floating in this place for all eternity.

"_You have a choice to make."_ Now I was even more confused, and beginning to become frustrated.

"A choice? What kind of choice can a dead girl make?" I was dead, and there was no going back.

"_A very important one with side effects no matter what you choose. One choice you may make is cross over and spend eternity after the Cross over, keeping an eye on the world but unable to reach any one, yet still be with all whom have already passed on."_

I thought about it for a moment. I was already dead; there wasn't much I could do any more. But still, I had this tugging feeling inside of me. Slowly I responded "What exactly is the other choice I have?"

"_You can go back, without a body, unable to physically feel the world and unable to be physically felt or physically heard. But you will be able to see and hear all that goes on. And you will be with the young Autobot warriors until the day that they offline."_

"You mean Sunny and Sides?" I asked, a small flare of hope in my chest rising.

"_Yes, child" _

"I'm going back." The second those three words left my mouth things began to happen. My ears were roaring in sound and explosions of color flittered across my eye sight. Then nothing. Slowly I began to hear sounds, noises I recognized from before my death, and voices. I opened my eyes.

There, below me were the human forms of Sunny and Sides, crying over somebody. I floated down to see who. It was a girl, badly burnt and covered in blood and dirt. She looked familiar, where did I know her from-oh. It was me. I grimaced.

I knew that I hadn't been a pretty sight when I died, but damn, I didn't think I looked THAT bad. There I looked like shit. I was hardly recognizable. It was just….filthy. I hope they didn't plan on burying me like that.

Getting over my annoyance I looked around at the other giant robots. Autobots, that's what the voice told me they were. I was still confused on how my twins could look human, but maybe it wasn't their real bodies. Some sort of solid projection. And their cars were their real bodies. I thought about it for a moment.

Sunny was obsessed with his car. Which would be his, body. So by default he was over obsessed with his body. I snickered out loud, and then I realized nobody really could see or hear me. It came to be all in a rush, I was alone. Nobody could see, hear or touch me, I couldn't feel them.

I fell to my knees in shock, unable to move. I was just over whelmed. I couldn't cry, I couldn't scream, I just sat there for who knows how long. When I began to focus I looked around.

Not too far away was the other, whom I assumed were, good guys. They looked like they were on Sunny and Sides side anyways. I headed over to them and listened to their conversation. Most of it was about them feeling sorry for my twins, some of it was wondering who I was and the rest reports or about the bad robots, the ones they called Decepticons.

By listening to them in I managed to learn their names, Optimus Prime who was their leader I think, Ratchet, the bot who tried to save me and I guess he was their doctor or something, Hide, whose real name was Ironhide, the twins had told me when I met him that he was a weapons specialist, and then the other ones, Bumblebee and Chromia, which was Ironhide's girlfriend or something.

I continued listening to their conversation and learned pieces of information. Sunny was Sunstreaker, and Sides was Sideswipe. Slowly I began to piece the last couple of months together. Sunny and Sides going on missions and being unable to tell me where or why or even what they were doing, it was all because they were forced to keep it a secret.

I would have cried if a ghost were able to. But apparently it's not possible. I listened to the big bots conversation.

"It's a terrible thing that has taken place today. Such a young and bright life lost today."

"I fear the consequence that this loss will have on the twins. It's only since they met the young human femme that the warrior twins began to open up to life. Before her, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe knew no such thing as mercy or happiness." Optimus added.

This was ridiculous. The Sunny and Sides I know would never let grief take them down so far. They would first hunt down the ones that hurt me, or in this case, killed me, and do to them what they had done to me. And some of the Decepticons had gotten away, so the twins would definitely be hunting them down and killing them.

Now it was just a matter of time before they got up and began hunting them down, right? I stared at them from my perch on a piece of rubble waiting for to move, but all I saw was the dim look in their eyes-er, optics. I stared at them sadly.

'_Stupid idiots, you can't just let grief stop your life.' _I thought. Imagine my surprise when both of their heads snapped up and looked around wildly.

"Kat?" Sides called out softly when neither of them could find me. I had been told that nobody would be able to physically hear me. But he never said anything about mentally. I gave my theory a test.

'_I'm here guys'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright sorry for the long wait my dears. Here's the next chapter of Ghost.**

* * *

><p><em>'I'm here guys' <em>my twins shot up, twisting around wildly.

"Katrin!" Sunny exclaimed, while Sides cried out "Where are you?"

The other Autobots looked at them confused and then sadly, most likely believing the twins to of gone crazy from grief. As if my twins could, they were crazy to begin with. Silly robots. The doc bot, Ratchet approached them slowly.

"Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, I'm sorry, but she is no longer of this world." He told them. I watched as the twins holoforms, how I knew that word I had no idea, just that it suddenly appeared in my head, disappeared. There real bodies then came to life.

"We heard her Ratchet!"  
>"She isn't dead!" they told him. I made my way over to them. I wonder if I could get onto Sides shoulder. Time to test out my new skills. Instinctively I closed my eyes and braced myself. When I opened them I was ready to begin climbing. Only to find out that I wasn't on the ground. I was already on Sides shoulder. What. The. Hell.<p>

Being able to do that was pretty cool. But not when it was unexpected. Stupid ghost body. I scowled but then quickly returned my attention to the bots. The rest of the Autobots had come over warily.

The way they were acting you would think that the twins were about to blow some heads off. Well they might I guess. I mean I had seen them throw a couple guys into a lake once. Good times they were. Oh shit. I needed to focus.

"Twins, she's gone, there is no life force in her body." Big bot told them gently. If the twins could hear me could the others? I hoped so, something had to be done before the twins malfunctioned and began hitting people. Or bots.

_'I'm right here!_' I shouted as loud as I could with my mind to them all. And then I took great delight in watching them all jump and look around wildly. The twins had a look that said 'told you so' but then it switched to confusion and painful hope.

"Fox where are you?"  
>"Come on femme, quite hiding" their voices were so pained it floored me. My invisible, weightless, body of nothingness suddenly felt so heavy.<p>

_'I'm on Sides left shoulder guys. I- I'm a ghost.' _Then suddenly Sides was no longer under me and I was just, floating. a huge crash sounded out and i screamed, momentarily panicked that the Decepticons were back. My twins were on the ground in a heap.

"FRAGGING GLITCH HEAD TWINS!" the Autobot medic, Ratchet was staring at Sunny and Sides in irritation. I was at a loss. Did they seriously just feint? i sighed in exasperation.  
>didn't seem to know where to look to explain what happened, so I decided to save him the trouble and floated to his shoulder.<p>

_'I'm on your shoulder doc bot.' _He nodded and then launched into an explanation. Some how I understood all the terms he used.

"They didn't feint exactly. It's called glitching for us. It happens when our processor is unable to handle the information it received, like an overload, and it shuts the whole frame down." I nodded but then remembered that they couldn't see me with a pang of sadness.

_'So, they'll be ok? Right? It's not anything permanent?'_ Ratchet nodded and began to do something to them.

"Indeed, they will be back and running as soon as I bring them online again." Just as he finished talking, the twins' optics lit up again. I was flooded with relief. And other emotions, so strong they drove the breath out of me. Those weren't my emotions.

The emotions that hit me were strong and filled with sadness, guilt, confusion, and an underlying anger, burning deep down to the center. I tried to figure it out. And then it hit me, once I sorted it out. I just about screamed in irritation.

_'Damn twins! If you keep feeling like that, I'm going to kick your giant, metal asses!'_ They all winced at the volume and then the big bot, Optimus Prime spoke;

"Katrin, are you able to sense Sideswipe's and Sunstreaker's emotions through a bond?" He asked me. Looking straight at where I was. I guess he could tell what direction my voice was coming from. I paused for a moment before answering the big guy.

_'I'm not entirely sure. They on-lined and I just…felt what they feel.' _He seemed to think it over while I continued to ramble on about things.

_'Go figure, they can fight freaken giant evil robots with guns, but they can't handle a ghost' _The Autobot medic paused in what he was doing before chuckling lightly as he processed what I said.

"Indeed. It is, as you humans would say, ironic." He continued his work. I just hovered by his shoulder, watching him work. I had completely forgotten about the other bots until Optimus Prime spoke and I jumped.

"Katrin, I believe it would be best if you accompany us back to base and explain what happened." I nodded but then once again I realized, hey, im a ghost. Nothing can see me.

_'I can try. I honestly don't understand mush of anything myself.' _I responded

Optimus nodded. "We will head back once Sunstreaker and Sideswipe return on-line."

Why do I feel like this was going to be a long and awkward day? I asked myself this just as my twins woke up.

* * *

><p><strong>Review loves. It prompts me to update faster ;)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

The ride back was, as I predicted, awkward as hell, and confusing. I 'rode' with Sides back to base; apparently I needed to mentally anchor myself to stay inside or on what ever was moving.

Due to what I dubbed as mind-speak, I could talk to all of the Autobots at the same time, and in return I could also hear their conversation and thoughts via their com-link, or just through their mind. I told them of how the voice told me I could come back like this and stay with my twins. When I listed what the conditions were though, Sunny and Sides almost swerved off the road in despair before straightening out again.

As I talked I told them of how the Cybertronian terms just came to my mind as if I grew up with them. We spoke of my theory about what I can do now as a ghost as well. I can appear where ever I want by willing it, I can anchor myself to something, read minds, and talk with mind-speak. I could talk to specific people or everybody at once. It was honestly kind of cool. But what I thought was the coolest power was being able to fly. My twist laughed at that.

"Of _course_ you would be thrilled to fly, Fox" Sunny remarked sarcastically while Sides rolled his eyes.

"Only you would so ecstatic about flying when you just fragging died." Seeing the twins faceplates fall at what they said, I snarled back a retort before things became depressing again.

'_Obviously I ain't dead if im hear talking to you scrap piles' _The twins pretended mock hurt before realizing what I said and then stared at where they judged me to be curiously, along with the other bots and a few soldiers. By now we had already reached the base and the rest of the Autobots and some of the soldiers had been informed about what transpired earlier.

"Explain your reasoning Katrin" Hide stiffly asked. When we had met I guess I sort grew on him, so he was a little, upset, about earlier. You know, with the whole getting my physical body mauled and, killed.

'_If I was dead I obviously wouldn't be here talking to you guys. I mean duh, my body is totally fragged, but I am still here.'_ The pondered my words for a moment before a bot I didn't know yet spoke up.

"The femme has a point." I looked at the red bot. I think his name was Mirage. I adopted a smug tone.

'_See? Somebody agrees with me.'_ A few of the bots chuckled at my tone while one of the soldiers, Epps I think, full out laughed. I smiled but felt a twang in my chest of sadness. To everybody all I was just a voice. My smile disappeared, not that anybody would see.

We all continued a conversation, me keeping my tone as light as I could. I wasn't sure how long we were all talking about the attack, me being a ghost, and so on and so forth. I thought I had everybody fooled into thinking I was content. Until I felt two nudges over the bond. Sunny and Sides.

Apparently I didn't hide my feeling as well as I thought I did. They felt it, my sadness. _**'Fox…'**_ Sideswipe tried sending me as much comfort as he could. I leaned into the feeling, keeping myself from breaking down.

'_**We will fix this and bring you back to a physical body.' **_Sunstreaker's determination flowed over me like a river, but I wondered how they could even attempt such a thing. Both of their determinations amplified when Sideswipe added;

'_**And we will make them pay for this'**_ I could feel the tears dripping down my face. I then noticed all the Autobots and the soldiers around had similar faces on; ones of sorrow, regret, determination and helplessness.

They had seen my twins' facial expression and realized what was going on. I sank down to the ground between their feet. My ghost body heaved with sobs as I cried loudly. Nobody could hear or see me, but my twins could feel my emotions, even though I dampened the bond greatly. I was in agony from the sorrow I felt. I desperately wished for the comfort of my twins arms.

Something must have shown on Sunny and Sides' faceplates because the soldier in charge, Major Lennox, walked forward cautiously, like he didn't want to step on something. Or walk through it.

'_I'm between their feet, Major'_ I told him in a somewhat steady voice. Not steady enough though, he winced. Note to self, broken voice is not good to talk with. He walked over to the general area I was in before stopping. There was a hesitant look on his face. He wanted to know where I was but didn't want to ask.

I sighed and felt my twins nudge the bond again. I opened it a little and relaxed into the feelings they sent over. Then it flickered in front of my vision. Like some one was looking down from a high angle at the ground. Where I was sitting. I jolted in shock.

The twins felt my shock and spoke out loud. "What? What happened Fox?" They asked as feelings of curiosity and concern flooded over the bond. I focus intently on them again. Then I figured out what happened with excitement. I saw through their eyes. Kat the Fox has another brilliant idea. I focused on my spot and with intense focus I sent out an image to everybody in the hanger.

I hear shouts of shock but didn't stop. I held a hand in front of me. More cries of confusion and people were looking around wildly. They could see what I saw. It was just a picture or video in their head but it was something. I continued concentrating and turned to first Sideswipe and hugged what I could reach of his leg, though I had to be careful so I would go through him, and then I did the same to Sunny. Understanding dawned on everybody's face.

But then I had to let the connection drop. I felt exhausted. But at the same time I new sense of contentment flowed through me. A whole bunch of people ran towards where I now stood between the twins, only a foot of space between me and them on either side.

"Katrin we will get you back to your physical body. I promise." Lennox told me I was too tired to reply yet but Ironhide's holoforms spoke next.

"And we will make those con slaggers pay." Then everybody began talking at once. I couldn't help but laugh and everyone smiled a little at the feeling I had sweep through them all. I still had tears in my eyes, but life, or after life, what ever this was, wouldn't be so bad maybe.

Then some idiot soldier had to ruin the mood. "Um, what do we do with the body?" I grimaced, remembering the condition it was in. Optimus sighed and Lennox thought for a moment.

"We can put it into deep freeze until we figure out how to make her physical again." Ratchet spoke up. Several people nodded in agreement. I couldn't help but feel like this was one of those criminal shows where they hide the body. Or like I was back on the streets looking for a gang member that went missing. Trust me, it's happened. Then another thought hit me.

'_Somebody better clean me up. I look like shit.' _


	5. Chapter 5

**Look loves, I did this in school ^-^**

**For those who weren't sure what happened last chapter, nobody was able to see Katrin, but they were able to see through her eyes**

* * *

><p>After all the excitement died down and all clean-up was taken care of, including my body, which I had made the twins make sure nobody touched it inappropriately, I followed the twins to their room.<p>

After a while they had fallen into recharge while I sat there and watched them. I no longer had the capability of sleep. Even though I felt tired, my ghost body was incapable of it. So I continued t sit there, just thinking.

Then the Voice drifted into my mind. **"You must be careful when using your powers child. Otherwise you may disappear. You must build up their strength gradually, like you would a physical body"**

_'I wondered why it wore me out'_

**"Yes. You must let your strength build back up now. It won't take long though." **I nodded. Already I was starting to get my strength back. I continued to sit there, watching my twins recharge. I still felt the presence of the Voice though. After a while I spoke to it.

'_What else am I able to do and how do I build up my powers?'_ My eyes were still locked on my twins.

"**Bit by bit your powers will grow stronger as you use them. As for what you will be able to do, virtually anything within your power."** I thought about it for a while, not once did my eyes leave the twins' forms.

'_Who are you by the way? Or should I just continue to call you Voice?' _

The Voice sighed before replying. **"I am just a very old mech."** He paused and then chuckled, **"Please, continue to call me Voice." **I nodded again. Voice was a mech.

'_Tell me about Cybertron'_ he seemed surprised that I requested such a thing but then he complied and began to tell me the history of Cybertron from the time before it was even created.

* * *

><p>Over the next few hours I learned of Unicron, the destroyer of the Universe, and the legend of how the Cybertronian god, Primus came to be. I listened intently while he told me of how the two brothers fought in the astral plane before returning to the physical plane where they both assumed the forms of metallic asteroids. Of how Unicron created minions and how Primus became the planet Cybertron and created the Transformers to help him fight against Unicron and protect the universe.<p>

Only when the twins' optics began to online did Voice end the lesson. Before my twins fully awoke I asked him I he would continue telling me of it tonight after the twins fell into recharge again. When he agreed I was beyond thrilled.

* * *

><p>As Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sat up I flickered over to them. Flickering is what I named my ability to appear where I want. By now I had fully recovered my strength from yesterday so I sent them an image from my sight.<p>

I couldn't help but grin when they both looked to my spot in front of them. I was floating in the air and was only a few meters away from them. So they could see themselves from my point of view, and both were startled, even if it was only for a brief moment. They could feel my amusement from through the bond.

'_So what's on the agenda for today?' _

"Me and Sunny have training with Hide and then I have patrol duty" Sides told me as they both got up and walked over to a cabinet and got out two cubes of blue liquid. I flickered onto his hand to look at the stuff.

'_Sounds exciting. What is this stuff?'_ I asked curiously.

"Energon. It's what Cybertronians need to live." Sunstreaker replied as he walked over to take one of the cubes from his twin. I nodded and then waited for them to finish their breakfast. Now it made sense why they never ate much before. They were giant metal aliens that drank Energon for fuel.

* * *

><p>After they finished, we made our way to a large hanger, me sitting on Sunstreakers shoulder this time. When we entered I just stared the sight in front of us. All over people were practicing combat.<p>

To the left a bunch of soldiers were practicing taking down a Cybertronian with a few 'Bots, Mirage and a blue 'Bot that I didn't know yet.

On the right side was Ratchet instructing some humans on something, most likely the anatomy of Cybertronians. And close to them were a couple mechanics working on vehicles.

But it was the center that caught my attention the most. Two Autobots that I saw yesterday but wasn't introduced to were fighting hand to hand while Ironhide stood off to the side and watched them.

'_Hey guys? Who are all these 'Bots and people?' _I asked my twins exclusively. I had learned yesterday that no matter how busy someone was or how loud something was, people could always hear me. My voice, after all, was in their head.

'_**The mech with Mirage is Bluestreak. And these two fighting in front of us are Hound and Jolt.' **_Sideswipe told me. Sunstreaker spoke next. _**'Wheeljack is in his lab, and Mudflap and Skids are in the brig for fighting again. Arcee and Chroma are in the obstacle course outside.'**_

'_Are there any other Autobots here?' _if this was all they had here; they were so outnumbered by the Decepticons.

'_**No, Jazz is probably in the rec. room listening to music. Bumblebee is with Sam Witwicky, and Cliffjumper is out walking around.' **_Sides reassured me, most likely feeling my apprehension through the bond.

"Twins! You're up!" Ironhide bellowed out, ending our conversation, startling me and making me jump. I shot a glare at him even though with my invisible body he would be unable to see it. Sunny and Sides on the other hand just nodded. I felt their nudge of amusement over the bond though. It was wide open to the max and they knew what happened, even if they couldn't see it or feel me jump.

They waltz over to the fighting area and I rolled my eyes before flickering to an odd metal thing sticking out of the wall and sat on it. Now I was just above their optic level, perfect for viewing their training lesson.

First Ironhide fought Sunstreaker, and then he fought Sideswipe. The matches were interesting to say the least. In both fights the twins seemed like they were running circles around the big black mech. But when he landed a hit with either his fist or his cannon, they went flying. Or, crying about their paint in Sunstreakers case.

My twins, by themselves, were almost as good as Ironhide. But weren't good enough to beat him. For both matches he came out victorious with few marks to show, while the twins had several scuffs and dents. The whole time they fought I analyzed it. Never knew when it could come in handy.

* * *

><p>After Ironhide fought them, he pitted them against each other. Never before had I seen such a fight. They moved so fast and graceful it was like they were dancing. I watched awestruck while Ironhide stood to the side, calling instructions, tips, and criticisms.<p>

When they finished, Sunny and Sides exchanged a few words before Sideswipe left. I flickered over to the shoulder of Sunstreaker, watching the red car drive away.

'_So now what is there to do?' _


	6. Chapter 6

After Sideswipe went on patrol I followed Sunstreaker into the rec room. Here and there were a few of the bots along with a couple humans. I drifted over to some of the other Autobots. Nobody could see me so I decided that I would get a close up look and observe them.

I floated on top of a table in front of a silver mech that was chatting with Lennox's second in command. Epps I think he was called. I gleamed what I could from the conversation, learning about this mech, Jazz. I loved his street accent. It reminded me of home.

After him I flickered over to another mech, Hound. He was talking with another mech, the same one he was sparring with, Bluestreak. I could help but laugh out loud. Bluestreak talked so fast it was hard to keep up.

I did this for quite a while before finally flickering back to Sunstreaker, who had been talking with a mech I wasn't familiar with. I waited for a pause in the conversation before privately asking him who the mech was.

'_**Cliffjumper'**_

'_Oh. Will you guys show me the whole base?' _I extended the last part to Cliffjumper so he could hear my question as well, who jumped before smiling.

"So this is the little human femme ghost?" he asked and Sunstreaker nodded before replying

"Yes. This is Katrin."

"Well Miss. Katrin I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." I practically beamed. Sunstreaker must have felt my joy through the bond and chuckled. See I had been scared that I would be totally alone beside my twins. Not a lot of people would really be willing to talk to a ghost.

'_Pleasure is all mine Cliffjumper'_ He smiled and with a sweep of his arm he gestured to the door.

"Shall we give the femme a tour of the base then, Sunstreaker?" The yellow mech made a sound of agreement before he walked out of the room, me sitting invisibly on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>As we went around, the two mechs explained how a lot of thing worked and some of the rules and the other Autobots personality. Sometimes I would flicker to odd spots here and there in order to explore which ever room, hanger or place outside we were at.<p>

Cliffjumper seemed to get a lot of amusement out of my childish curiosity but I hardly paid him any mind. I wanted to know where I would be able to flicker to if I didn't have direct visual.

The last place we visited was Ratchets medical bay. My still here twin and his friend were reluctant to go in but I was insistent. I really wanted to check the place out and talk to Ratchet. I finally cajoled Sunstreaker into going into the med bay and he entered it, looking around warily. I laughed out loud and let my amusement soak through the bond, receiving a muffled questioning feeling from Sideswipe that surprised me. I didn't think he would have been able to feel me so far away. Sunstreaker merely huffed in agitation. I smiled and broadcasted my voice to all in the med bay.

'_Ratchet! You in here?' _I heard a grumble from the back and Ratchet came out of a small room, looking irritated and then surprised.

"Sunstreaker, Cliffjumper, what are you doing here? You are neither injured nor are you due for a check-up for another few orns." Then his eyes narrowed dangerously. "If this is a prank…" he let his voice trail of while fiddling with a wrench. I nearly doubled over again in laughter as the young mechs flinched backward. I felt a twinge of warmth as Sideswipe felt my amusement and sent back a happy feeling.

I decided I ought to save Sunstreaker and Cliffjumper from Ratchets wrath before he got carried away with his presumptions_. 'I asked them to give me a tour of the base doc bot. This just happened to be the last place to visit I think.'_

I felt Sunstreakers relief come through the bond and I grinned. Sunny and Cliffjumper stood near the door while me and Ratchet talked as I flickered around the room, exploring every nook and cranny. Whenever I came across something I didn't know, I'd ask the mechs about it. Usually I got a very long and boring description about it from Ratchet. But Sunny and Cliff would give me a shorter and more interesting explanation with their minds.

* * *

><p>All in all it was a pretty interesting day. I talked with the twins and a few other mechs and a femme on the base, a chatted with Lennox and Epps for a while, and by the end of the day, I knew most of the base, from above the top, straight to the bottom. Still though, I felt an emptiness in me, like a small, hard rock that wouldn't shrink any more.<p>

All of this stuff was really cool but I was constantly being reminded of what I was, or rather, what I wasn't. I wasn't alive any more, I wasn't a physical body, I couldn't be seen or heard or felt. My only communication with people was through their minds. I had the bonds from the twins but it did little to ease the hard lump in me. I craved to feel again, I wasn't to feel the warmth of the sun, the solidness of the world. I wanted to feel the wind, to know the coolness of the shade.

The only thing I could sense were smells, sounds and sights. But it didn't let me feel the world. It was like being a starving prisoner, being able to see the food in front of you and being able to smell its aroma, but being unable to get to it. It was maddening. But still, I kept those feelings away from my twins.

Sides came back while Sunny and Cliff were walking around while I explored the area. I felt his presence before he got close and delight filled my chest. I began telling him about my day with Sunny and Cliff like an excited preschooler telling her parents about her day.

And so days and weeks passed in the same way that day had. It wasn't long until I knew every 'Bot in and around the base. I knew every inch of the base and the surrounding area. I even know a lot of the soldiers by name. Every night I learned from Voice, and I learned new powers and tricks I could do. But still I couldn't be physical or even visible.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for taking so long to update every one, I forgot I hadn't posted yet. Review **


	7. Chapter 7

Several weeks have passed since I died and came to the base. Sunny and Sides were a constant reassuring presence to me, whither they were physically by me, or through our bond. Them and the other Autobots tried to help me with anything they could. Sometimes it was just answering some of my constant questions and sometimes it was helping me train some of my new powers.

In the weeks since I died I have learned how to flicker to places I can't see, stay on something moving without going through it, send visions to people, change my appearance even though I was the only one who could see myself, and grow bonds with the other Autobots. I could feel what they felt and vice versa. Having them at first felt kind of weird to me, but after a while it felt as natural as breathing. Something my ghost body did even though I didn't need to. Because of the number of bonds there were, I kept a filter on them.

What I mean by that is that I kept a lot of what I felt repressed and repressed a lot of the other bonds dampened as well so it didn't all over whelm me. Sometimes I still was sad about being dead and invisible and nonphysical, but it wasn't as bad as it used to be. Currently I was in the medical bay with Ratchet. Apparently something was wrong with Ironhide's holoform projector.

'_So what's wrong with his projector thing again?' _Ratchet still hadn't given me the full explanation.

"The glitch head blew something up and some of the scrap metal became lodged in the device. It's preventing him from forming a fully physical holoform. Ironhide, activate what you have now."

The mech did so and his nonphysical holoform appeared a little distance away from where I was on the berth. I flickered over to him and observed him.

'_I'm creeping on you Hide.'_ Sometimes I got a kick out of using my ghostliness to creep on people like this. Ironhide always found it funny.

"You would little femme." The mechs holoform laughed. I stepped closer to the holoform that was Ironhide. He flickered slightly every now and then and I could tell just by looking at him that he wasn't solid. Idly I poked him, expecting my hand to go through him.

I almost died again when I was met with resistance. Me and Ironhide both shouted at the same time.

"Holy slag!"

"Holy shit!" Ironhide and I actually stared at each other for a moment, mouths gaping, before I spoke out loud,

"I can touch you!"

"I can feel and see you!" Ratchet had turned at the noise and stood frozen. Then all at once he demanded, "How did you do that?" waving my hands around wildly.

"I don't know! I just touched him and then boom!" Ratchet stared at me before for several moments before speaking quietly.

"When you removed your hand from Ironhide's non physical holoform, you began to fade away again physically, as did your voice. The last thing I heard from you was when you said you just touched him." I was stunned.

'_I was speaking out loud instead of with my mind. That's why it faded away.'_ I said softly. The doc bot nodded sympathetically.

"I see. Well now we know it is possible for you to be physical again. We just need to figure out how to make it last longer." My mind was buzzing with thoughts. To be physical, to be able to touch things again and to be seen, the idea of it all brought tears to my eyes.

'_Let's do this.' _

For the next several hours after Ironhide left to report to Optimus, Ratchet and I attempted various experiments with various amounts of failure and success. Everything from having me touch different energy sources to different types of lighting and scans. The only thing that had been the most successful was the spark energy.

Ratchet had exposed me to a small amount of it briefly and I became fully physical for nearly twenty minutes, I could be seen, heard, touched and could feel things, but I still couldn't taste or smell anything. Still, it was a drastic improvement. Even though by the end of it I was so tired I could barely move.

'_Anymore and I think I'll disappear Ratchet.'_

The old mech gave a nod in understanding. I had told him about how using too much of my powers at a time without building them up could make me disappear. "Very well, we can continue this when you are feeling better." I said something in agreement and then flickered to the twins' room where I collapsed on one of the berths. In the pitch darkness I could see that I was still slightly visible due to the glow I was giving off still from the spark energy. I ignored it and fell into a light doze.

I had found that while I couldn't sleep, I could almost doze lightly while still being aware of everything around me. It was into this type of state that I fell into.

"**Child you need to be careful. Any more of that and you would be in danger of disappearing." **

Voice floated through my mind and I tiredly answered, _'I know, I just want to be physical though.'_

Voiced hummed sadly. **"I know little one, but you shouldn't strain yourself so much."** I sighed, acknowledging what Voice said.

'_What would have happened if I hadn't done this?'_

"**I wondered when you would ask that question. If you had gone on into the afterlife instead of staying here, your twins would have gone into despair and not returned. Eventually their grief would have killed them. If that had happened then it would have set off a chain of events that would eventually lead to the destruction of the Earth. You see, child, if the twins had died then other Autobots would begin to lose hope and would also be killed during battle until all were destroyed."**

I thought this over for a while before replying, '_So I'm here to make sure they don't screw up and get the world destroyed? Sounds fair enough to me.' _I could feel the amusement coming from Voice. As much as it pained me to be like this, I didn't want everybody else to die. So I could suck it up. Another thought crossed my mind.

'_Voice, do you think I can actually be physical some day?'_

"**It becomes more and more possible every day. Just don't expect it within the next few weeks."**

That was something I could live with. Me and voice carried on an idle conversation while I waited for the twins to come back. I was humming to myself when the door slid open. I didn't react until Sideswipe yelled.

"Holy Pit!" I looked up then to see both of the twins had their optics right on me. The room was still pitch dark were I was. I looked at myself and then back at the twins.

'_Well look at that, I'm still glowing.'_

The twins entered the room and turned on the lights, but then frowned and turned them back off. I blinked at the changes.

'_What the hell was that for?'_ I asked while waiting for my eyes to readjust.

"Sorry femme, but it's easier to see you in the complete dark, so we turned the lights back off." I huffed at Sunny's explanation. They moved closer to me and settled on their berths. Carefully Sides reached out and brushed my arm with his figure. I shivered at the feeling. I was still completely nonsolid and couldn't feel it really but it sort of felt like a tiny breeze.

"How did you manage this?" he asked quietly. I filled them in on mine and Ratchet's experiments and the spark energy.

"So exposing you to larger doses of it might be able to make you fully solid you think?" I nodded and I could see their processors going a mile a minute.

"What if you were to stay next to our sparks while we recharged? Would anything happen?" I had asked both Ratchet and the Voice what would happen if I did something like that. Ratchet told me that it might speed up the process and Voice had told me there was no harm in it.

'_Unlike with the other experiments, the spark energy was the only thing that didn't tire me out, if anything it helped restore some lost energy. It doesn't take away from the bot with the energy either.'_

I watched the twins exchange a look and sighed.

That night I dozed next to Sides spark. It was strange. I could sort of connect with him on a different level while he slept. It was like I was in his conscious and he was fully aware of me too. It was a comforting experience, and for the first time since I died, I fell into a peaceful sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning I woke up feeling better than I had in a long time. There was a gentle thrumming from something next to me and I curled into the warmth from the object. Slowly yesterdays events came back to me and my eyes opened up. I was inside of Sideswipe. Wait, that sounded dirty.

I was next to Sides's spark in his spark cavity. I gently felt the bond I had with the twins and felt them still asleep, I smiled a little and flickered to the outside, noting how my glow was brighter, and landed on top of Sideswipes chest, where I stood an observed my twins. Both of them were still deep in recharge. I wondered how visible and how solid I was.

Deciding to let them sleep, I flickered to the med bay where Ratchet was already awake and working. I stood on the berth watching him for a while. Being a ghost meant that I didn't show up on their scanners. Bored, I wandered around and picked up a random tool. The feeling of something in my hand felt strange, but familiar.

"What's up doc bot?" Ratchet turned around so fast I thought he gave himself whiplash. Being able to talk aloud and being heard felt so good. Ratchet's reaction made it all the sweeter.

"Primus! Femme don't sneak up on me!" I waited a moment. Then, "HOLY FRAG!"

The old mechs shout brought Jolt stumbling out of his room. He watched him mentor stutter through his words.

"Y-you... I... How…visible…" He made a scan. "Physical, I can hear you." He made an other pause before he spoke again. "Are you holding something?" I nodded, and Jolt, who now noticed me, was staring at me. I now realized the young mech had never actually seen me before.

"Hi Jolt." He took pause at my voice, finding familiar. Then he took a double look.

"Katrin, you're physical. Congratulations." He paused before adding, "And you are glowing." I nodded a little bit.

"The glow is caused by the spark energy." Jolt nodded in acceptance before starting to get to work. While Ratchet scanned me and did all the stuff doctors do with patients, wait, that sounded dirty too, never mind. Basically while Ratchet was being a doctor, I told him and Jolt about sleeping in Sideswipes chest cavity beside his spark. It took a moment for it to sink in, but a few minutes later I shouted.

"I slept! I freaken fell asleep. I haven't done that since I, you know, died!" Ratchet pondered about this for a moment before stating,

"Perhaps it has to do with your physical form. You may even be able to eat, if only in small amounts." I thought about it for a moment before nodding. It made sense.

After getting the all clear from Ratchet, I wandered around. Before leaving the med bay I morphed my pants into the same pants many of the soldiers around here wore and changed my shirt to a plain black t-shirt. My hair was still down as I made my way to the mess hall.

Not many people were around. It was still early, not quite five yet. While I had been able to sleep, I hadn't been asleep for very long. Almost idly I grabbed an apple before leaving. On my way out I took a bite. It tasted bland, like there was only the smallest amount of flavor. All the same, the feeling was like heaven to me. I never thought I would be able to eat again.

As I walked I passed Lennox and Epps. They stopped and Lennox called to me.

"Soldier, where are you supposed to be?" I halted, a plan formulating in my mind.

"Six feet under I suppose." Both men looked at me strangely, like they found something about me familiar but they couldn't tell from where. Of course all of my interactions with them had been as a dead and destroyed body or as a voice in their minds. They hear voices and haven't gone crazy yet. Weird. Lennox spoke again.

"State your name and rank soldier." Being a smart ass that I am I pulled a military salute and said,

"Katrin Rose Knox, sir. Rank, currently deceased and haunting NEST base as a ghost, sir." Both men gaped at me. It was Epps who spoke first.

"Well I'll be damned. If it isn't our friends neighborhood ghost, visible and solid." I grinned at the black man and Lennox spoke again.

"How did you manage it? Are you still a ghost or is this a real body?"

"I'm still a ghost, but this is as physical as I can get. I glow in the dark though. As for how I managed it, well that's more classified than NEST base is." The commander nodded in understanding.

Soon I continued my wandering. I wondered if I could turn my self not physical and still visible. I decided to try later. My bond with my twins was still wide open and I felt them come out of recharge. I smiled and flickered, startling a few people with my sudden disappearance, and appeared in the twins' room. Seeing their optics light up, I stood on one of the berths.

As soon as both of them came fully online, they froze when they saw me. Without warning I was engulfed by two bodies in a massive hug as they activated their holoforms. If I had been alive, I would have died from lack of air. But as it was, dead people don't need to breathe so I was ok.

"Hi guys." I wheezed out. "You act like you haven't seen me in a few months." They released me and Sideswipe held me at arm length as they took in my appearance.

"Primus femme, you're solid." He breathed. Sunstreaker, being the brilliant ray of light he is decided to put in his own observation. "You're glowing light a night light."

I glared at the blond holoform of Sunny and aimed a kick at his shin. It connected before he could get out of the way. I smirked victorious and Sides laughed at his twin, who grumbled. But there was something off in both of their tones. It dawned on me. That kick should have broken my toes.

Their holoforms were stronger than normal humans, meaning if a human had hit them, the human would be in pain while the holoforms would be fine. This was just another testament of how changed I was. Still, they could at least cheer up.

"If you two don't cheer up, I'll kick both of your asses." I drawled out. Back before I started hanging out with the twins all the time, I had been a decent street fighter. I had taken the twins on separately before and didn't do too bad against them. There was a silence and then shouts of surprise could be heard down the hall coming from the twins room.

Ironhide, passing by, heard the noise and made his way to the twins' room and froze when he entered. The holoform of Sideswipe was lying sprawled out on the metal berth groaning. Sunstreaker was pinned on his stomach, both arms pinned down on his back by me. He was shouting to me.

"Alright! Alright! I give you win!" Ironhide did a double take. The dead girl he knew me as was solid and growling at the twins. And beating them. A roaring laughter echoed all around and I looked up at the big black mech with a triumphant grin on my face.

By now Sides had recovered and sat up, preparing to tackle me off of his brother, but I saw him coming and braced my self. He launched himself at me. And went right through me and slid off the edge of the berth.

Me and Sunny watched him go over the edge, both of us frozen. Sides holoform reappeared on the berth beside us, looking disgruntled. I laughed.

"Oh hell Sides, you should have seen your face." Ironhide was still standing in the doorway laughing, behind him I could see a few other bots straining to get a look at the commotion, not understanding what was going on. Still laughing, I rolled off of Sunny's back. It was a wonderful morning.


	9. Chapter 9

News about me spread through the base like wild fire through the next couple of days. Everybody who knew about the ghost girl tried catching a glimpse of me. Sometimes it was pretty unnerving. But what worried me and some of the others the most was what could happen if the government found out about me. They would try to take me away from the Autobots and run tests and experiments on me. Not that they would be able to take away a girl who could turn herself invisible and insubstantial. But they could threaten.

All of the people at base were sworn into secrecy about having a ghost on base. Sunny and Sides didn't let me out of their sight unless they were ordered out on patrol. Even then, one of the twins usually stayed behind with me. They were like mother hens, and many of the soldiers got a kick out of their behavior.

Now that I was visible, many of the soldiers and even some of the Autobots were a little surprised at my appearance. The tattooed wings on my back were partially visible due to the low backing of my shirt. My biceps had my gangs tattoos wrapping around, two black lines that went around the bicep and cross over each other once on the inside and once again on the outside. Below that was another line that wrapped around once, the ends meeting on the center of the outside and ending in a hook facing downwards. For decency sake, and so the commander and twins didn't have a heart attack, or spark attack, I didn't wear my belly shirt, keeping it full length, covering my dragon tattoo around my belly button and the swirls of my lower back tattoo. The piercings in my ears, I had regular piercings in each ear and then another two in my cartilage, and the one in my left eyebrow caught some attention, but it's not like they could make me change it. I was dead.

One of the soldiers made a comment that I happened to overhear while was talking with Lennox.

"It looks and acts like a teenager you know? It's weird." I ignored it but Lennox snapped at the soldier,

"She is a teenage girl you brainless fool. Get to work and then report to the control panel for sentry duty." The soldier was startled and a look of guilt crossed his face as he quickly obeyed. Lennox sighed and I shrugged. Today I was wearing a pair of black jeans and an army green top.

"It's not their fault Lennox. People don't trust things they don't understand." Lennox was about to argue with me but I felt the pull of my twins returning. Today they both went on patrol for the first time. "Got to go." I told him before flickering out to meet my twins as they pulled in to base.

People were beginning to get used to me randomly appearing and disappearing. I was beginning to have the strength to do more things more often. Voice said it was because the energy I receive from the twins' sparks was giving me more strength. As of now I was able to flicker where ever and whenever I wanted. I could also make my body solid or insubstantial at will and could change my appearance for the most part; I just couldn't alter my size. Along with all of that I could make myself invisible and visible at will and could internalize my glow so I didn't light up like a night light in the dark.

What I received with my powers was also a benefit. I could eat a small amount of food, and though it lacked a lot of flavor, I could still taste it. Also I could go into a light doze. Not quite asleep, but not awake. My solid body was almost the same as the Autobots' holoforms; I was almost as strong as them and as fast as them, as well as durable, meaning I had to be careful around people.

Sideswipe activated his holoforms as I appeared and gave me a brief hug. This was followed by Sunny doing the same. So far there had been no Decepticon activity since I had been killed, though I knew that my twins were always on the constant hunt for them. The two of them turned off their holoforms and their alt-forms shifted into their bi-pedal modes in a whirl of hisses and clicks. It was always mesmerizing to watch and I never got tired of the grace it was done in.

"Hey Fox, how was it?" Sideswipe asked me as the three of us walked into the hanger. I was seated on Sideswipes shoulder, fully solid.

"Doc-bot gave me another lesson and Ironhide started teaching me about weapons and stuff." Ratchet had taken to explaining everything he could about Cybertron anatomy to me whenever he got the chance as well as run some tests on me to make sure I was stable and not in danger of disappearing. Ironhide was a pleasant surprise though. The gruff mech was the one who suggested I learn about the Cybertron war and the weapons they used. He was a great teacher, Ratchet was too. Learning about all of this stuff was really cool. When I wasn't learning from them, I was learning from Voice about the history of Cybertron. Though, I was the only one who knew about Voice.

"Anything exciting happen on patrol?" I asked my twins casually. Immediately I felt them stiffen up ever so slightly. "And I want the truth, not some half-baked lie." They vented before Sideswipe started to tell me what happened.

"There were some traces of Con activity so we scouted around for a bit. We caught sight of one of the fraggers but he got away." I nodded, figuring as much. Sleeping next to their sparks had made me more in tune with them than anyone else thought possible. I always knew where they were exactly and how they were feeling. No one but Voice and I knew about that little trick. I decided to ask Voice more about it later tonight.

"I see. Well don't worry about it." The twins couldn't close their bond to me anymore; I was literally a part of them. So I could feel every emotion that rolled over them all the time unless I closed my side of the bond. However, they could only feel my feelings when I wanted them to.

We wandered into the rec room where Jazz and Mirage. I waved to the two mechs and flickered over to them.

"Hey mechs."

"Well if it ain't lil shorty. Comin' to visit us lonely mechs?" Jazz drawled out in a fashion that reminded me of the kids on the street.

"Dunno, might have ta pop out quick like, ya know?" I replied, slipping into street slang out of habit.

"Jazz! We just broke her of that habit, don't bring it back." Sides barked at the silver mech. I scowled and Jazz laughed while Mirage shook his head.

"I'm not a dog with a bad habit." I mumbled out before flickering to the table that my twins were heading toward and I sat down with a huff, Jazz's laughter ringing out. Sunstreaker chuckled a little bit. Poor Sunny is ever the unsocial mech around the other people and bots.

"Ignore them Fox." The yellow mech ran one figure down my back and I leaned into the large digit like a cat. But then something caught my attention. It was a high pitch ringing that only I could catch.

"The alarm is going to go off." As soon as I finished speaking, the Decepticon alert went off and all the bots in the room jumped up and ran out. I flickered to the control room where Lennox was giving orders to some of the soldiers.

The infamous Barricade had been spotted and now the Autobots were going to take him out. I watched the entire thing from a spot on top of the large monitor. Everyone was moving about, it was like a mass of ordered chaos. Several bots would be going. In fact, I think only Ratchet, Wheeljack, Skids and Mudflap were staying behind. The monster picked up more signals. More Decepticons were starting to close in on Barricade.

Everybody left but I stayed watching the monitor. Something wasn't right. The signal that I knew was Barricade, was slightly off. And it was moving away from the other signals as fast as it could go. The other Decepticons were chasing Barricade, and he was hurt. The Autobots were also going to get him. People were going to die. My twins were in danger.

"**Go Child." **I needed no other prompting. I became a ghost once more so as to save my powers, and I flickered away.


	10. Chapter 10

I flickered as fast as I could toward my twins, reverting back to my invisible and insubstancial form to save energy and move faster. See when i flicker, the farther i travel the longer it takes. But if i divert my energy from staying solid and visible into flickering, I can move faster. This would be the farthest I had ever flickered since i had never left the base since I died, but I knew the city well and knew exactly where Baricade was heading.

I could feel the slight drain of energy, something I had not felt in a few weeks, but it was nothing to hinder my mission. I had arrived just as Baricade pulled into an old junk yard. I knew the place, I used to come here as a little kid becuase this was one of the few places no one ever came too so it offered a bit of a refuge. Apparently Baricade thought so too. A faint memory surfaced in my mind.

_I was crying as I picked my way through the junk yard, searching for a safe place for the night. The other, larger kids had attcked me again that day, forcing me to flee. I knew no one ever came to the junk yard so i would be safe. That was when something caught my eye. A little way away was a cop car, but close to it was the perfect space for somebody as small as me to sleep in. But I did not want to get caught by the police. Hesitantly I creeped forward, my tears now dry, to see if any one was in the car. I checked to see if anyone was in it, and to my surprise, it was empty. In fact, it looked like it was abandoned. Still cautious i moved to the spot I had found and settled down. From that day on that car was always there. Sometimes it looked like it was in a different position, like a dog guarding a charge. Sometimes it would talk, like an imaginary friend. Then one day when i came to visit, it was gone._

I stood still for a moment as I remembered one of the few happy times durring my childhood. The shock still coursing through me. Barricade the Decepticon, was 'Cade, my imaginary friend and protecter. In the distance I could sense my twins and the rest of the Autobots getting closer. I sent my senses out to see if I could find the Decepticons. When I found them I began thinkning. I had about Five minutes until the Autobots reached this place. Ten until the Decepticons reached here. I took in 'Cade's apperance.

The mech was dented in areas and scraped up, leaking a small amount of energon. Nothing was life threatening, but it still looked like he was sore and tired. I made my decision and became visible as a approached the mech, though I was not solid, I had no idea how the mech would react.

"Cade." Red optics looked up and met my green ones. For a moment Cade's optics were blank but then a hint of recognization flitted in.

"Little femme." Cade made no movements and I stepped forward. He knew who I was now, he recognized me as the little kid that used to come here all the time.

"The Autobots are coming to find you. The Decepticons are too. You have to hide someplace." Cade snorted at me.

"Let them come." Cade was planning on making this his last stand. I could not let my former guardian die here, expecially not by the hands of the ones I loved most.

"Cade, you left the Decepticons right? That's why they are after you?" Cade said nothing so I knew I was right. I ploughed on, desperation leaking into my voice. Even if he had not been my childhood friend and guardian, I could not not let a mech do this.

"Come with us to the Autobot base, please. Then you don't have to fight any more."

Cade looked at me for a moment before looking off into the distance. "I heard you were dead. Either somebody was lying or I'm dreaming." I shook my head, making myself solid now as I reached the mech and pressed my hands to his leg.

"No, I'm dead, but I'm here and you aren't dreaming. Please Cade." I had just found my childhood friend, no way was I going to let him leave again. I flickered up to Cade's shoulder, ignoring his shock and annoyance. I could feel the Autobots getting closer. Urgency crept into my voice.

"Please Cade. I can convince them to take you with us." Cade was silent for a long moment as he took in my apperance. Finaly he nodded and I let out a relieved sigh and smile.

"Katrin!" I knew Sunny and Sideswould arrive at that moment and so I faced them with a determined look. Behind them the rest of the Autobots filled in the junkyard.

"Cade's coming with us." i said before anyone could open their mouths. My twins started spluttering their words and a few others shouted. Prime remained silent and we met eachother's gaze. He inlcined his head to let me speak while silencing everyone.

"Cade's already hurt and the Decepticons are after him because he left them. He'salready agreed to come with us but you guys have to agree too. If we leave him here they will kill him. We don't have much time and the Deceptiocns are close. Optimus please, I'll explain everything when we get back to base safely."

For a long moment the large mech was quiet and I feared he would say no. At last he spoke.

"Very well Katrin. But he will be guarded and restrained until we can trust him. Do you agree to this, Barricade?" To my surprise Cade nodded. A few of the other Autobots voiced objections but Optimus silenced them. I could feel my twins's anger amoung a few other things over our bond but I ignored them for the moment. If we left now we could be gone before the Decepticons showed up.

* * *

><p>We all left the junk yard. I turned back into my ghost form and rode with Optimus. The twins's emotions were making me uncomfortable. Barricade was surrounded by Optimus in front and Ironhide who drove behind the ex-Decepticon. Finaly Optimus broke the silence.<p>

"I trust you had a good reason for racing ahead of everyone and then defending Barricade." I materialized in the passenger seat of Optimus's cab.

"I did. It's something I haven't told anyone yet. Care to listen to my story?" Optimus listened as I told him about the Voice and about Barricade's strange signal on the moniter and then about when I was a kid.

* * *

><p>After the whole explination Optimus stayed silent for a while. I had reverted to my non-solid form to save energy. I was starting to get worn out. Finaly he spoke.<p>

"Now I believe I understand your actions. In the time I have known you you have never done something without reason. Very well, I will do what I can, but in the end, Barricade is the one who must prove himself." I nodded, relieved that Optimus understood. Before I became a ghost again to save my remaining strength, I asked Optimus to keep my secret about the Voice until it was time to let everyone know. He agreed and I settled down to rest, blocking out the feelings from the twins.

* * *

><p>When we arrived back at base, all of the Autobots and a few humans like Lennox, gathered for a meeting. Cade was there too, guarded by Jazz and Ironhide. I was still invisible to save energy. Flickering so far away had used up alot of energy. When everyone was gathered I became visible. I had taken a seat on the railing of the catwalk so that I could be seen by everyone and see everyone alot easier. All eyes and optics were on me. Then I began eplaining everything.<p>

"When the alert went off I was observing the moniter. Something about the signal was off but everyone left just as I figured it out. Barricade's signal was showing he was already injured. Then there was the fact that he was running away from the Decepticons. Barricade does not run away from anything, nor would he allow anything to hurt him. That's when I had the hunch of something being wrong. So I had to confirm it for myself.

That's when I went to find Barricade. The junk yard he had been hiding at was one I used to hide out at when I was a kid. When I got there, that was when I remembered something. As a little kid alot of the older kids would rag on me so I had to find a place where I could escape to if I wanted to stay alive. No one ever went to the junkyard so it was the perfect hiding spot. One night I went there to sleep and there was this cop car.

Normaly when a kid is out on the streets, they try to avoid cops. So I was a little suspicious, but the car was abandoned. I often frequented the junk yard and that car was always there. After sometime I began to notice things. The car was not always in the same postion. Every now and then the car would make a noise. Then one day it talked. The car became my imaginary friend named Cade. On the rare occations that somebody did happen to find the junk yard, Cade blocked the view of my hidding spot, and his apperance as a cop car often scared people away.

I never seen him outside of his car form so I never put the pieces together. Until I saw him at the junkyard. That was when it all hit me and I figured out what was going on. That's when I convinced him to come here with us."

I finished my explination and several Autobots looked deep in thought, though several looked doubtfull. Only my twins lacked any expression. Tentatively I opened the bond again. Then I nearly slammed it down again but stopped myself. They were brimming with anger, disblief, and betrayal. I opened the other bonds to see if this was what everyone else was feeling.

Anger, annoyance, disbelief, doubt, worry and a trickle of acceptance flowed through. I abruptly stood and stared straight at my twins, fully opening my end of the bond with everybody. My anger, hurt and betrayal at everyones lack of faith in me flowed out. Then I was over come with anger. I grasped at a memory and flung it at everyone.

_I was a little girl, less than ten, running away from the bigger kids again. I could not get home so I would hide at my secret spot with my secret friend Cade. He would protect me, even if he was a car. I ran through the dark streets and into the junk yard. There I could see Cade where he always was. I dashed over to his side and collapsed in my hiding spot. The crunch of gravel told me Cade had moved a little so he blocked the entrance of my hiding spot. I could hear thesound of people running and shouting now and let out a were close now and had found the junk yard. They kept getting closer and closer and I let out another whimper._

_Suddenly Cade's police lights lit up and his siren went off. I jumped a little but I could hear the other kids shouting as they ran away. Cade then once again quieted down into silence. I let out a sleepy smile._

_"Thank's Cade. Good night." The gentle rumbling of an engine sent me off into sleep._

Everybody was a little disoriented after that but I did not notice. I did not notice Cade staring at me or the guilt the twins felt. I did notice, however, that my body felt impossibly heavy. And then, I was falling.

"Slag!" Ratchet was the one who caught me but I was too weak to even look at him. I had used up too much power and was starting to fade. I heard Ratchet yell something but I had no energy to even understand what he was saying.

Somebody, Sideswipe I think, appeared beside me and doc bot. I barely made out something blue and glowing before everything went black.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for any mistake. Review, no flames<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

Slowly I began to be aware of where I was. I was still weak from the over use of power but I was recovering my strength. I was next to someones spark. Sideswipe held me in his spark chamber. I could tell the mech was in recharge.

**"How are you feeling Child?" **I groaned in response.

_'Like crap.'_ I was so weak it was hard to move. Every now and then a dull throb ran through my body, but it was less and less each time.

**"That is a side effect of using too much power. You almost disappeared. If it had not been for your friends, you would have disappeared. You must be careful Child."**

_'I know, but I had to. I couldn't let Cade be left to the Decepticon's or be killed. I had to make them understand. And it hurt, having the twins feel like that.' _When the twins had felt like that, it had been painful. And protecting Cade was something I was passionate about.

**"I understand Child. Rest and regain your strength."**

I settled down to rest again. I figured it was sometime durring the night. Though how late I had no idea. It did not matter. I slipped into a light doze.

* * *

><p>When Sideswipe came out of recharge, I came out of my doze. I was almost fully recovered. I flickered out of Sidwswipes spark chamber and on to his berth, fully visible and solid. Neither twins noticed me.<p>

"Idiots." Both heads whipped toward my direction. Without warning I was crushed in the embrace of both of their holoforms, causing me to stager.

"Careful, you'll knock me over." I was slightly irritated at them still for yesterday. Or at least I though it was yesterday. I had no idea how long I had been resting yet. But niether of them released their grips. Sideswipe, who was holding me from the front had his face burried on the right side of my neck. Sunstreaker, who was hugging me from behind, hid his face on the left side. I frowned.

"Hey, you're crushing me." That was when I noticed the tremmors and something wet on my skin. My twins were crying.

"Honestly you two. It's ok. Everything is alright now."

* * *

><p>I was not sure how long we stayed embraced, but at some point I wound up sitting against a wall and both boys had put their head's on my lap. They were not quiet in recharge, but they were getting close. As we sat there I ran my hands through their hair, calming them.<p>

I had contacted Ratchet with my mind. When I contacted him, I could feel his shock and relief. I asked him how long I had been out. Ratchet had told me that I had been out for almost a week. The length in time troubled me and I asked how the twins took it. He told me that they had lost the will to do much and went around in dispair. Only the fact that they could still sense me and see me in Sideswipe's spark chamber kept them going. Neither of them recharged well and had no heart for their usual behavior.

The information troubled me. The twins depression had caused most of the other bots to become disheartened. Even some of the soldiers had felt it. I then decided what to do. I contacted all of the Autobots in a mass mind-speak but excluded the twins so I would not disturb them.

_'I'm back everyone.' _There had been several exclimations of shock, surprise and relief. I could feel their emotions through the bond. I continued speaking. _'Optimus, is it alright to give the twins a few days off?'_ When he agreed, saying it would be a good idea for the twins to recover, I made a request to everybody. I promised I would come visit them all when my twins were better and I would ensure they recharged and took care of themselves properly, but I asked that no one disturbed them.

Everyone had agreed, greatful everything would be alright now. I felt guilt tug at my heart at what I had done to my twins. I had found out that Cade, though technically a prisoner, was cooperating with the Autobots and was permitted to walk aeound the base with a guard. I was glad it wored out.

* * *

><p>I was humming a soft lullaby when Sideswipe spoke.<p>

"We're sorry." I was surprised at the suddenness of it and did not understand why he was apologizing. I stopped humming and my hands rested on their heads and they laid on my lap. I looked doen at him.

"What for?" For a long while they were silent and I began to wonder if they had fallen back into recharge. Sunstreaker moved then and twisted so he was on his side, facing me with his head still on my lap.

"We didn't believe you when we should have."

Sideswipe twisted as well as he spoke. "We felt those aweful things and hurt you, causing you to push yourself."

"You almost died again Katrin. We didn't know when or if you would ever wake up. And it was our fault." Neither of them could meet my eyes as I stared at them. Finaly i broke the silence.

"Stupid." I flicked them both in the forhead, causing them to moveslightly in surprise. They looked at me, but I was already leaning back against the wall with my eyes closed. I continued to speak.

"Honestly, Cade had been your enemy for who the hell knows how long. Obviously it would be a little hard to believe he isn't as bad as he appeared. I pushed myself because I wanted to and needed to. You guys did not make me do anything so shut it. It isn't your fault. I did not disappear, which ment I was obviously going to wake up. None of that is your fault. I won't die."

I looked down at my twins. They were my precious twins. i smiled at them.

"You are too important to me for me to die and leave you. I'll be here until the day you die. Then I will follow you to the afterlife." Their eyes were fixed on me. I leaned down and kissed one of them on the forehead, then did the same to the other. I straightened up with a smile.

"After all, you are my precious twins."

We spent the rest of the day together, me laying down between them and sometimes with me sitting against the wall with their heads on my lap and my arms either wrapped around them, or my hands playing with their hair. They were my twins. Never would i leave their side.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for any mistakes. Review, no flames :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hello, Bonjour, Hola, and Hello again! Guess who's back? Enjoy. I'll be editing old chapters soon and adding new ones.**

* * *

><p>"What should we do today?" I sat on Sideswipe's shoulder as he and Sunstreaker walked to the rec room. It was the second day since I woke up, already I was back to feeling like normal. But my twins were beyond paranoid about me being out of their sight. Thanks to Optimus, the two of them had the next few days off. I felt the slight rumble as Sideswipe hummed while he thought.<p>

"Don't fry your processer Sides." Sideswipe rolled his optics and Sunstreaker snickered at my comment.

"We could go racing again." Sunstreaker suggested. I perked up at the idea. It felt like it had been forever since we had gone racing. I started bouncing enthusiastically. It would be like before the accident.

"Hell yeah!" We headed for the race track

* * *

><p>When we got to the track, it was mostly empty. There were a few bots on the track doing a couple of laps, and some humans were watching, but there were not very many. I was giggling with excitement. For the twins, and me, this was our special thing. We loved the thrill of speed, and we were all competitive. Before I had died, this was what we did before they would go on missions and after they got back or when one of us needed cheering up.<p>

One of the bots on the track must have spotted us because they slowed down and met us on the way down. I recognized the red Mazda as Cliffjumper. I smiled and waved. The mech returned the gestures before greeting us.

"Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, greetings. And hello little femme. I'm happy to see you up and well." I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. Everyone knew what had happened by now.

"I take it you guys are going to hit the track then?" Cliffjumper asked, even though he knew the answer already. I decided to answer anyway.

"You know it!" Cliffjumper looked thoughtful for a moment before a gleam came into his own optic. I saw the challenge there and I began to grin.

"How about we make a race?" I shivered in excitement.

* * *

><p>Word about the race had spread throughout the base like wildfire, causing a ton of 'Bots and humans to show up. It was a beautiful day and everyone had been working hard recently. It was the perfect opportunity to let loose a little.<p>

Soldiers crowded around the area outside the track with a few of the 'Bots in holoform. Some of them were making bets about the races between the 'Bot's on the track while others lounged around eating food from a grill someone had managed to find or just relaxing.

On the track Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Cliffjumper and Jolt were racing around the track along with Bumblebee, who had managed to show up with his charge.

Sam himself sat with Katrin on a grassy patch out of the way of the others. The two were talking about random subjects that people their age talked about; music, school and people. Not too far from them, Leo stood arguing with his own, unofficial, guardians, Mudflap and Skidds. Even Barricade was out watching everything with his guard, Prowl.

Katrin watched her boys with a smile. They were enjoying themselves and relaxing for once. Everyone was enjoying themselves actually. For now everything looked peaceful and relaxed. It did not look like an intergalactic war was going on, no one was dying or hurt, and there were no Decepticons blowing things up. It made the young woman wonder what was going to happen next.

Before her thoughts turned too dark, Katrin pushed them away. Right now everything was alright. There was no sense in worrying the twins when they were in a good mood. The redhead stood up and turned to Sam.

"You know how to play poker?"

* * *

><p>Sunstreaker and Sideswipe wandered off the track, having finished racing for the time being. They could feel Katrin concentrating on something and were curious to see what their femme was up to. They found her at a table with a few others playing a card game. Soldiers crowded around watching the game. The twins activated their holoforms to get a closer look.<p>

Sunny and Sides stood behind Katrin, peering over her shoulders. At the table sat Epps, Sam, Jazz in his holoform, and a few other soldiers.

"What are you doing Kat?" Sideswipe asked. The girl placed down a card, her lips in a tight line as she thought.

"Tryin' ta not lose." With her focus on the game, her old speech pattern slipped through. Moments later she scowled and put down the rest of her cards.

"I'm out." She stood and left her spot, allowing another soldier to take her place. The redhead grabbed Sunny and Sides by the arm and walked out of the crowd.

* * *

><p>Still arm in arm, the group of three wandered the base with no particular destination. The sun was beginning to set, casting a glow over everything as they walked. Katrin hummed in contentment as she squeezed the arms of her boys, causing them to look down at her with smiles. For the moment there were no Decepticons, no NEST, Katrin was alive, and the boys were not robotic aliens. They were just there.<p>

A light breeze brush past them, mussing Kathrin's hair, and the twins turned to her as she paused to fix it. For a moment it felt like their breath was caught in their throat. Neither could look away from the girl in front of them, and the redhead, fixing her hair, failed to notice.

In the dying light, Katrin's normally bright red hair turned to a fiery shade as hints of gold's and orange's appeared in the various red. The wind blowing caused the locks to dance like fire skipped about. Giving up, Katrin paused and looked at the boys. Her eyes were bright, the traces of despair that normally haunted her eyes, were gone for the moment. All that was visible was peace and joy.

Katrin grinned up at them. Their eyes reflected their happiness and contentment back at her. The sun lit them up with a golden outline as she was suddenly engulfed in their hug. She closed her eyes and leaned into them, feeling something else through the bond. Katrin bathed in the feeling.

_Soon. _She promised herself. Soon she would tell them.

* * *

><p>Just out of hearing distance, Barricade stood watching the scene in silence. He did not look away when another bot joined him.<p>

"Sometimes we forget how young they are." Optimus commented softly. Barricade flicked his optics to the Autobot leader, saying nothing in reply.

"But when it's like this, it is far too easy to remember their youth and what they have lost." The Autobot leader continued solemnly. The two mechs watched in a comfortable silence as the three continued their walk. Just before they turned a corner, Barricade spoke up.

"They have been fighting the same battles most of their lives. They didn't have the chance to be young." The police mech turned and walked away as the three disappeared, leaving Optimus to stand alone, gazing at the setting sun. If only the good times could last.


	13. Chapter 13

**SPEECH KEY**

'**Autobot mental talking'**

"**Voice talking"**

'_Katrin mind speak'_

"Regular talking"

_Thoughts_

* * *

><p>It had been a week since the day of the races. The day had been relaxed and care free, but the next day business had resumed like normal. It was then that we received word that the liaison, Galloway, would be investigating the base. All soldiers were given strict orders to stay silent about me being here and act as if I never existed. I myself was told to stay out of his sight. It would only cause problems if he knew a human became involved in Cybertron affairs and became, well, not quite human.<p>

I was at my wits end. With the commotion of Galloway coming, who she had heard about from the other bots and soldiers, none of which was good, her activities had been limited. Rules had become stricter, to ensure none of the Autobots or soldiers gave the insufferable man anything to complain about. Everyone was working hard to make sure the base was in tip top shape and everything was completed.

I did not get to spend as much time with my twins, something that tugged on me constantly. Ever since last week, I had loathed every second I spent apart from them. Something about them had changed too. I knew they were unaware of it, but the way they acted around me subtly changed. You would never notice it if you did not watch them closely or were connect to them like I was.

When not on patrol, their holoforms were almost always active. Whether it was walking around the base, or just sitting on their berth, they were always there. Even a few times during their recharge, their holoforms stayed on, and we slept in a cuddled mess. I knew what was going on, I could feel it. But they did not realize it yet, and I did not want to bring it up for fear of their reaction. I was a coward, but it was the only thing I could do at the moment.

I talked to Voice about it; he agreed that for now, it was best to let things be. The twins were stressed over the liaison coming, they did not like the man to begin with, and if he were to find out about my existence, all hell would break loose. The two of them had even gone so far as to ban me from using any of my powers while he was on base. It annoyed me, but I also understood their concern. The man would no doubt try to take me away, or worse. Just the thought of what could happen to everyone on base if my existence was discovered made me shudder.

* * *

><p>I sat on Sideswipes shoulder, invisible to everyone but still tangible, enabling the mech to still feel me. The plane containing Galloway had just landed and the man was stepping out. Already he irritated me, just by the way he held himself.<p>

_Pompous pig. _

I could feel my twins' amusement through our bond at my thought. They full heartily agreed with me. I watched as the man walked down the plane and his feet had barely touched the ground when he started snapping out demands to Lennox and Optimus. The blatant disrespect infuriated me. Where I came from, you just did not do that.

* * *

><p>The longer the man was here, the more my irritation increased. I could feel my twins feeling the same way, but their precarious position kept them from acting. They were not even allowed to dare to play a prank when Galloway was around. He would go off calling them a hazard and several other words that made my blood boil. Metaphorically of course.<p>

The man had demanded to be shown around the base, and reluctantly Lennox complied. I felt bad for the commander and told him as much. I did not have enough words to insult Galloway. The man really was horrible. But there was something about him that gave me an odd vibe. No one else seemed to pick up on it, but no one else was a ghost. I followed the man just to be sure, keeping the feeling to myself. No point in causing more tension over what could be nothing. The idiot did that enough by himself.

My twins had told me the story of how the man once let slip the location of a shard of the all spark. The man had not only tried to blame it on the Autobots, but had felt nothing but contempt at the loss of the shard and the humans who had died to protect it. Maybe I would send him nightmares as he slept. That would make me feel better. But then things began to get interesting suddenly.

They were almost done with the tour, getting ready to leave the medic bay. The man had insisted on entering even though he was not allowed near anything and few, if any, of her questions were answered. They were leaving when the man caught sight of a door. Galloway wanted to know what was in that door. I felt a sinking pit in my stomach, though Lennox and Ratchet gave nothing away.

Behind that door was the room my body was held. If Galloway was to see the body of a dead human girl, placed in cryonic preservation, and in Autobot hands, the ending would be disastrous. He could call for the Autobots to be sent away, have them captured, or worse, killed. I snarled. I would not let him touch my 'Bots.

For the time being though, Lennox had it under control. He pulled the man away, but I knew Galloway would be back. Only next time he would do it in secret, and I would be waiting.

I could feel the twins in our bond. They had been sent to the hanger with the rest of the Autobots after Galloway had arrived. But feeling my dread and then wrath, Sunny and Sides were seconds away from darting out and coming to my side. I gave them a firm mental push though and reassured them. But my head was swimming. I needed to come up with a plan.

'_Sideswipe, Sunstreaker. Give me everything you know about Galloway.' _

* * *

><p>My twins lived up to my expectations once again. They had given me everything they knew, and found some extra information. They did not ask me what it was for, though they had a hunch. And I did not ask them where they got the information, figuring some illegal hacking was involved. Not that it mattered to me. I was above nothing when it came to protecting them.<p>

I scoured the information. There was everything from having several mistresses to leaking information to people, both by accident and on purpose. There was information about money being syphoned into a personal account, information about his reaction to the AllSpark being stolen and the deaths that occurred. Everything was here.

A savage grin lit up my face. I knew exactly what I was going to do. The pompous pig really should have taken responsibility for the deaths of those innocent people who were killed because of his incompetence. After all, ghosts were mostly emotions, and what is stronger than hate, despair and vengeance.

If he came back, there would be a ghost waiting for him.

* * *

><p>I knew if I were to fully carry out my plan, I would need lots of energy. I flickered to Sides, taking refuge with his spark. I could feel his, and Sunstreaker's, immediate relaxation though our bond. They could always feel me when I was with one of their sparks. The two of them had tried to describe how it was like being pieced back together. Though they told it in a much less… semimetal way. They were mechs and had to prove their, mechness, once in a while.<p>

I felt the same way though. It was like having a soft, warm blanket encasing you while feeling like you were in an impenetrable fortress. Which I guess I really was. I knew my twins would do anything to keep me safe. Where I was now, I felt far more safe than I ever had as a human. These were my twins. My mechs.

I felt a flutter in my chest and smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

I sat in the Med Bay waiting. It was long past the time when most of the occupants on base would be asleep. I had flickered here about an hour ago, knowing that if Galloway were to appear, it would be around this time. The man was too nosey for his own good.

I had spent the entire rest of the day gathering energy for this night and planning. No one, not even my twins knew about my plan. Everything had to be done just right. So I sat on a berth, completely invisible to everything, and silent, waiting for the moment to strike.

And soon it became time.

* * *

><p>Just as I had predicted, Galloway came snooping in when everyone had left. Just seeing him had me peeved. But his actions inside the Med Bay had me livid. I had to fight to keep my emotions checked so as to not awaken the twins. They were sleeping, and I would prefer if they stayed that way for the time being.<p>

The man walked around the large room, fiddling with stuff and touching things he had no right to even be around. It was making me see red. But I had to bide my time. Soon would be the perfect moment to strike. So I waited.

Then my chance came. The clock hit midnight, and though it lacked the deep tolling of a grandfather clock, the effect would still be the same. I began to filter images into his brain.

To his eyes, fog began to creep towards him, filling the room and blocking his view. He saw shaped drift through the unnatural scene. Humans, long since dead, bots torn to pieces, and empty eyes staring at him. The man was frozen, causing me to grin. Perfect.

"Galloway…" My voice whispered, detached from anything.

"Who's there?! Show yourself before I fire you!" Galloway snapped out. More voices whispered out his name, coming from all around him.

"This isn't funny! I'll have you dismissed and imprisoned for this!" It was time to make my appearance.

I changed my appearance to the role I was playing. Short, dark hair framed a face that was half burned. An arm appeared broken while more burns and gashes covered my body. One leg was cut off, leaking blood. I fed these images into his brain and proceeded to drag myself across the floor toward the man, leaving a blood trail for him to see.

The man let out a scream. I had taken the form of Susan Milao, one of his many mistresses, and one who had died during the theft of the Allspark fragment. I changed my voice to hers.

"Galloway…Why? Why did you do it?" He backed away as I moved toward him.

"It's your fault. You told them where the shard was."

"I did no such thing!" Galloway backed into a wall.

"It's all your fault. You sent away our protectors. You killed us!" By this point I had reached him and made a show of trying to pull myself by grabbing him. His attempts at kicking me away failed as he legs just went through me.

I made it appear as if other dead and wounded soldiers appeared behind me. Soldiers who had died because of him. They made their way towards him, calling out their blame of him. Galloway screamed and turned to run.

He barely made five feet when I appeared before him once more, this time as a small child.

"You took my mommy. Where's mommy? Why did you kill her? Why did you kill me?" The child morphed into another soldier. Abigail Whinipher, another one of his lovers. This one had died during a Decepticon attack that Galloway had stopped the Autobots from halting. He had sent in human soldiers instead and they were all slaughtered.

"You don't deserve this job. You killed us all. This is your fault." Before his eyes it appeared as if I were rotting away.

Galloway's screams turned hysteric.

"What's going on here!?" The lights flickered on and everything Galloway had been seeing disappeared, myself included.

Galloway turned to his saviors. Lennox stood in the doorway with several other soldiers, half in uniform, and with a few of the Autobots.

I watched silently as Galloway spewed out garbled words about what he saw. Lennox was having none of his nonsense as he grabbed the man and dragged him out of the room. A few of the soldiers and 'Bots did a sweep of the room but found nothing. Not that they would. Everything Galloway saw was in his mind.

* * *

><p>Lennox had taken Galloway into a questioning room where the pompous pig spewed out everything he saw. To my amusement, and Lennox's disgust, Galloway had pissed his pants. Galloway had been caught snooping in a place he had no clearance for, and items showed evidence of being tampered with.<p>

They reviewed a video of the base, proving no one had been anywhere nearby when Galloway tried to blame someone for playing a prank on him. The man was escorted off the base and told to not return. I returned back to my twins, who were now awake from the commotion.

I was feeling the edge of exhaustion and slipped into Sunny's spark chamber. They felt me rejoin them and allowed their bond to show it, but the two of them were otherwise occupied with joining the search for whoever had gone after Galloway. I smiled a bit. They were hardly taking it seriously, but did as prime requested any way. What good little mechs I had.

* * *

><p>Sometime later I was relaxing with my twins on their berth. The two were their holoforms and we were going over a datapad. It had the video of Galloway in the Med Bay, and just as I thought, nothing but him showed up. I had confessed to the two of them that I may have had something to do with his actions.<p>

I had recived a laugh, a scolding and the hugs, which is where were now. But something in the video had caught my attention. Just on the edges, fog really was in the room. There was a flicker of movement and figures appeared in the fog. The twins took no notice of them, and I knew I had not been the one who created them. The people looked straight at me.

I was so caught up in it that I failed to notice the twins going still as they recied a comm. Then my trance was broken as I was squished by two pairs of arms from my laughing twins.

"Galloway quit!"

"And confessed to everything!" The feelings of elation filled me from all sides of the bond that I did not see what happened next until I felt it.

A pair of lips brushed over mine. And then another. I looked up, stunned at my twins. Everything was shining on their faces and coming through the bond. I could not stop the stupid grin that covered my face. Everything else was forgotten.

_What was that?_

"**You are closer to death's border than you think."**

I did not bother to tell Voice that's not what I meant.


End file.
